Black Market Mishap
by SnuggleLove54
Summary: With his wife barren and the Malfoy line needing an heir, Draco finds himself in a predicament. He adores his wife, but a child is needed. He decides to go to extremes and illegally procure a child himself, but for every choice, there is a consequence.
1. Prologue

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or the magical world in which they live. ****Nor do I make a profit from this upload.****** **

**Welcome to my second Dramione story. This is just a test upload. I want to see how this story will be received. I'm not really sure exactly where I'm going with it yet, but I've had this on my computer for a while now and I thought I'd see what everyone thought. So, enjoy. ^.^**

**And now without further ado...** **Black Market ****Mishap**

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><p>Summary: With his wife barren and the Malfoy line needing an heir, Draco finds himself in a predicament. He adores his wife, but a child is needed. He decides to go to extremes and illegally procure a child himself, but for every choice, there is a consequence.<p>

**Black Market Mishap**

_"A baby is an inestimable blessing and bother." _- Mark Twain

**Prologue **

_Early April 2005 _

In a candlelit room, in the west wing of a manor, a fair-haired man sat with his head in his hands. The candle had burned halfway down and it was Draco's only indicator that the world had not stopped turning.

He had just been told tragic news about his wife. The worst thing that could happen to a Malfoy wife had indeed happened and no magic in the world could fix it.

Astoria was barren.

For the last year they had been trying to conceive and after no success, they grudgingly went to see a healer. After a few waves of the healer's wand, it was confirmed that Astoria would never be able to have children.

Draco let out a sigh as he shifted his hands through his hair and then began to stare straight ahead at nothing at all. He had so many thoughts racing through his head and yet he couldn't concentrate on any of them. They were a whirlwind in his mind and every time he would glimpse the severity of what had happened, he would instinctively dismiss it. Thus, sending his thought process in an uproar again.

As the Malfoy heir, he had one duty. Produce the next Malfoy heir. With Astoria being barren there was no way for him to do this … but…

There had to be a way. There had to be something he could do…

He curled his hand into a fist and slammed it down on the arm of his chair.

_Something had to be done!_

Draco got up and marched across the room. He ran his hand through his hair once more, more aggressively this time.

He had contemplated telling his father the dreadful news, but Lucius would only demand he divorce Astoria. He couldn't lie and say the thought hadn't crossed his mind. However, when he married Astoria he had been so bewitched by her charm and wit (and not to mention beauty). Furthermore, the year of marriage they'd spent together had only enhanced those feelings. He wouldn't leave her. There had to be a way to get around this and he would find one. Therefore, telling his father was a definite no.

Draco was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't see the fireplace light up green, nor hear the arrival of someone via Floo. If he had, he wouldn't have given an undignified jump from being startled by Theodore Nott's greeting.

Theo gave him a suspicious look when Draco tried to cover up his less than perfection slip-up. "You all right there, mate?" he asked.

Nodding, Draco looked over his shoulder at his brother-in-law. Both he and Theo had married a Greengrass girl and since then they had maintained a somewhat close acquaintance, if not friendship. The dark curly-headed man was still giving him questionable looks. "It's just been a long day is all."

Theo nodded. "I assume that the healer's appointment was a bit rough then?" he questioned. "Is there something wrong with Astoria? Wrong with you?"

The anger that had been simmering over the whole situation erupted inside him. "No!" he almost shouted. The lie had burst through his lips before he could even think about it and the fact that he wanted it to be true propelled him to continue. "I'm just frustrated that we haven't gotten pregnant yet …The healers had no idea why. It was a bloody waste of time."

Theo was quiet for a moment, scrutinizing him. Draco felt sweat appear on his upper lip. It was another moment before Theo nodded his head in understanding. "Can't imagine how you feel, Malfoy. I guess you'll have to keep trying then. Not that you should be complaining about that, right? Sex whenever you want it should be easy living, yeah?"

"Should be, yeah," he said grudgingly.

Theo smiled triumphantly as he made his way over to an armchair and then propped his feet up on the leg rest. He then reached over and grabbed a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. There was silence for a few moments before Theo commented, "_'Ministry busts elderly couple for selling kidnapped infants?'_ Blimey, who sells infants? More importantly who would buy a baby? They'd have to be barking mad!"

Draco had stopped cold. The words 'selling' and 'infants' jumped out at him. Maybe there was a way to stay married to Astoria and mistakenly appease his father. If he could somehow plan out everything, down to the last detail… He could perhaps make it seem like he and Astoria had had a child. He would definitely need to speak with Astoria right away-

"Did you hear me, Malfoy?" Theo asked, shattering his thoughts. "I said it's a good thing no one we associate with is desperate enough to sell their babies. I suspect they'd be more common in the lower society."

Draco forced a laugh. "I suspect as well." He cleared his throat and continued, "Is there a particular reason for your visit today, Nott? Or did you simply come over to chat about stolen infants?"

Theo folded the paper up loudly. "If the topic bored you so much, then why didn't you change it?" he asked with irritation. "Besides, I was just trying to take your mind off of the whole pregnancy ordeal."

With a sneer, Draco replied, "Well then, talking about infants isn't the right way to do that. As it stands, I don't need my mind taken off it. In fact, I think I should be giving it my full attention. Having a baby is very crucial. Especially with my father breathing down my neck."

Theo glared at Draco. "Where's my sister-in-law? Is she in the same charming spirits as yourself?"

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm, Nott," Draco drawled. "And as far as the whereabouts and mood of my wife, I assure you she's just as frustrated as I am; however, she's not under as much pressure as I am and her moods are easily fixed with a turn about the gardens." This was a blatant lie. Astoria had locked herself in their bedroom and had been crying ever since they had gotten back from St. Mungo's.

Suspicion entered Theo's eyes. "One would think that the two of you would be together now," he said after a moment. "I mean, if you're under as much pressure as you say, Malfoy, it's a wonder you're not doing the deed instead of shutting yourself up in a room."

Draco felt his heart rate increase, but he'd be damned before he let Theodore Nott catch him in a lie. "Is that what you were hoping for, Nott? To catch me and Astoria in a round of dirty, frustrated shagging? Is that how you get your kicks when Daphne isn't putting out?"

Theo's upper lip twitched as he held back a snarl. "You know, Malfoy, sometimes I don't even know why I try with you. You're nothing but a bloody tosser." With that said he stormed over to the fireplace and used the Floo to leave.

If Draco felt a little bad about the comment, he quickly cast the emotion aside. Right now he had business to take care of. Very important business. He strode out of the room and then up a flight of stairs to he and his wife's bedroom. He knocked on the door once before saying, "Astoria, let me in, we need to talk."

He heard lithe movement on the other side of the door before it swung open. In front of him stood his wife with her long, dark hair cascading around her shoulders and down her back, her brown eyes puffy and her makeup smudged. It was the first time he'd ever seen his wife out of sorts and he had to admit that she still looked beautiful.

Astoria gave a small tearful huff and then turned away from the door. "I know what you're going to say, but may I just ask when you leave me and expose me as a barren woman that you do it as kindly and painless as possible. After this I'm probably doomed to die alone, but I don't want people pitying me on top of it."

"What are you going on about?" Draco asked incredulously as he entered the room. "I'm not leaving you, Astoria. Don't be absurd."

His wife faltered in her demeanor and blinked at him in confusion. "Not leaving me? Correct me if I'm wrong, Draco, but isn't it mandatory for you to have a child? I mean, you're the one who was always going on about carrying on the Malfoy name. I can't help you do that. So, it makes little sense to stay with me."

Nodding his head, Draco agreed. "That's true. I do need an heir … At least in name."

Astoria was silent for a moment. "In name? Are you talking about adopting?"

Draco shook his head. "No, my father would still see it as the Malfoy line ending," he explained. "What I'm talking about is a bit more illegal."

Astoria's eyes widened. "Illegal? Draco, what are you planning?"

He grabbed her hand and brought her over to sit on the end of the bed with him. "Listen, today in the_ Prophet_ there was an article about a couple selling infants-"

"Draco-!"

"Let me finish," he interrupted, "If we tell everyone that you're pregnant and leave for the duration of the pregnancy, then come back with a baby, who's to say that that baby isn't ours?"

Astoria shook her head. "That sounds like a half-formed plan and people will pick it apart!" she said aspirated. "We can't just go away and then come back with a baby! People will want proof-"

"And there are spells that will make you look pregnant. We'll take pictures, invite my parents over and they won't be able to say that we didn't have a baby," Draco pressed on. "This can work, Astoria."

It was quiet for a few minutes as Astoria processed what had been said. "…I don't like this idea, Draco," she said quietly. "It'd be one thing to adopt a baby and legally have him as our child, but I don't think I can lie for the rest of my life about giving birth to a bought child."

Draco grasped her hands tightly. "It's the only way we can stay married," he said, slightly pleading. "I don't want to be forced to leave you, Astoria." She tried to turn away from him, but he stopped her by tugging on her hands again. "I know we can do this. In a month we'll announce the pregnancy, then we'll claim the Italian air is better for your health. Once we've been gone an appropriate amount of time, we'll come back with a baby. Like I said, we'll take pictures of your fake pregnant state and have eyewitnesses, and then when the time comes I'll get us our baby."

Astoria shot him a stern look. "And about that, say you do buy us a baby, what next? How are we going to convince people that he's our child when he'll look nothing like us?"

"I'll find us one that fits-"

"Yes, because I'm sure the business is booming and you'll have a huge selection to choose from," she interjected sarcastically. "What if you can't find a blonde-haired, grey-eyed baby boy? What then?"

Draco contemplated this alternative for a moment before giving into the possibility. "There is a possibility that we won't find a baby that fits our descriptions, but it's a risk we're going to have to take. If anything, we'll just have to tell everyone that he takes after you."

Astoria shook her head and ripped her hands from his. "This is complete madness, Draco! And I don't think I can do it. Even if you were able to find the perfect baby, I can't lie for that long. At least not about an ability I don't have, one that I desperately wish I had."

Draco stared at her for a long moment. Her eyes held such determination that it had him almost giving up the whole idea, but then he thought what that would mean. He could not lose her. With that thought, he grasped her hands once more and met her determined stare with his own. "Astoria, you know I'm not the type of wizard who begs, but I'm begging you now. _Please_ agree to this. If you don't, I'll have to give you up. Don't force me to do that."

At first, Draco thought she would still refuse. The determination didn't leave her eyes and her shoulders were stiff against resilience, but slowly he watched as her barriers broke down. Her shoulders sagged and her eyes dimmed.

It was a moment before she opened her mouth to speak and Draco held his breath as he awaited her verdict. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all, but… if it's the only way…"

"It is, Astoria. Trust me, it is." He assured her.

Astoria hesitated again. "…All right. I'll do this with you," she said in a resigned voice.

Draco grinned widely and then kissed her hand. "Thank you. You've made the right choice."

Astoria nodded silently and barely noticed when her husband moved away from her and started to formulate the finer parts of his plan. She barely listened as he told her where exactly in Italy they'd be going and how long they'd wait before announcing the pregnancy. She just sat there wondering if she'd truly made the right decision.

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><p><em>Monday, January 9, 2006<em>

It was supposed to be a peaceful morning being that it was the first day that Hermione Granger would be waking up as a mother. The sky was supposed to be blue and the birds (if there were any left in this weather) were supposed to be chirping. Everything was supposed to be bliss. She was supposed to wake up aching to see her new son, Hugo. She could imagine begging to hold him for just a little longer, to smile at him for five more minutes so that she could memorize his face.

However, Hermione awoke to a hysterical mediwitch running into her room.

Hermione quickly sat up, instinctually reaching for her wand, and then faced the witch. "What is it? What's happened?" she asked, inspecting the room for danger. When nothing dangerous popped out at them, she lowered her wand. However, her nerves were still on edge when the witch continued to cry.

The mediwitch took several deep breathes, but still only managed to get out, "M-mi-miss G-g-grang-ger…" before succumbing to her unstable emotions again.

Hermione's heart rate rose significantly when she heard more frantic scurrying outside her hospital room. "Where's Hugo? Is he all right?" she inquired about her newborn son, fear lacing each word.

It was then that a tall, coffee-colored skinned wizard walked into the room. "Please, Madam, would you kindly stop your blubbering," the man instructed.

The mediwitch didn't stop crying, but did end up leaving the room. It was now only Hermione and the wizard and Hermione couldn't say she felt any better. She could tell by the man's uniform that he was a wizard from the Ministry and part of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. If anything, this made her feel worse. "What is going on?" she snapped.

The man walked forward. "Miss Granger, I'm Officer Henderson with the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol," he introduced himself.

Hermione felt tears build behind her eyes. She didn't know why this man was here, but just the fact that he was couldn't mean good news. Tears quickly started to roll down her cheeks. She covered her mouth to keep from sobbing. She knew her hormones would be out of balance after labor, but she never expected them to be this touchy. "Please, just tell me what's going on!" she begged, suddenly exhausted.

"Very well," Henderson said. "It seems last night that three newborns were stolen out of the nursery." He paused to watch her for a moment and Hermione had a dreadful feeling she knew where this was going. "I'm sorry to inform you that your son was one of those newborns."

It surprised her very much that she didn't wail out dramatically with the state that her emotions were in, but instead she found herself in disbelief. This couldn't be true. Her Hugo had to be still asleep in the nursery. This man didn't know what he was talking about.

To prove that she was right, Hermione slowly pushed herself out of bed. "Miss Granger?" Henderson asked her when she walked on unstable legs towards the door. "Miss Granger, where are you going?" However, she was already making her way down the hall.

She stumbled now and then, but with the help of the wall she made her way through the hallway. She would have continued all the way to the nursery, but it was then that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley came into view.

"Hermione!" they both shouted as they ran over to her. Ron grabbed her by the arms and Harry skidded to a stop beside them.

"'Mione, we just heard what happened," Ron explained, looking at her with concern. "The news is all over the office." His face darkened, then. "We'll find the bastards behind this."

Harry's expression was just as angry as he nodded in agreement. "Don't worry about that, Hermione," he assured her.

Hermione didn't want to hear their promises because they weren't needed. Her son was still in the nursery, waiting for her to come coddle him. She pulled away from Ron and with a determined demeanor she continued down the hallway.

She didn't get very far before Harry was grabbing her arm. "Where are you going?" he asked as Hermione came to a halt.

"To see my son," Hermione replied as she tried to get out of his grip. "Everyone's saying he's not here, but he's in the nursery. That's where he slept." Their gazes were full of pity and it ate at her soul. "He's there. He's got to be there." With all the strength she could muster, she pulled her arm out of Harry's grasp.

"Hermione, wait!" they both yelled, but before they could do anything else someone intervened.

"Let her go. She needs to see the truth for herself."

Harry and Ron looked behind them and saw a dark man walking in their direction. "Who are you?" Ron asked abrasively.

Henderson said nothing as he followed Hermione around the corner. Harry and Ron followed right behind him. "My name is Adair Henderson and I'm the presiding officer over Miss Granger's case."

Harry's professional instincts kicked in at this revelation. "Are there any witnesses to the kidnapping? Do you have any suspects?" he asked as he walked beside Henderson.

Ron even chimed in with his own question. "Was there anything left behind by the culprit?"

The officer came to a halt and gave them both a stern look. "I'm sorry, but seeing as neither of you are of kin to Miss Granger nor the infant, I'm not at liberty to discuss the case with you."

"We're as good as family!" Ron shouted.

Harry's reply was a bit more calm. "We're both Aurors; surely we'll be able to help."

Henderson shook his head. "I'm sorry, but the Auror Department isn't involved with kidnappings," he replied, but seeing as he was talking to the Harry Potter, he cleared his throat. "Now, if Miss Granger has no objections with the two of you being in the room with her while I'm going over the details, then I won't have any problems with you both being there."

They both nodded before they started after Hermione again.

Upon turning the corner, Hermione walked with confidence. She would see her son sleeping among the other newborns and then she would tell that officer that he didn't know what he was talking about.

She felt her nerves start to frazzle despite her determination when she spotted the nursery. As she approached it, she noticed that healers and mediwitches alike were running around. When she got close enough to peer inside the glass-walled room, she felt tears fall from her eyes.

The nursery was chaos. Cribs were tipped over and babies were crying. The staff was in the process of reclaiming order, and even though Hermione saw all of this turmoil, it was the empty crib to the far left that made her world spin.

She fell to her knees. She vaguely felt Harry and Ron reach out to her and the high-pitched ringing in her ears blocked out all friendly words they might be saying.

Her son… Hugo… Where was he? Where was he taken? Who had taken him? Her mind, that was usually so organized, was a jumble of thoughts and panic. She wanted her son, but he wasn't there.

"No, no, no, no, no…" She heard someone saying and as her senses returned, she realized she was the one speaking.

She heard someone say something about getting her back to her room and then felt two pairs of hands dragging her away from the nursery window. What were they doing? What if Hugo came back and she wasn't there? Didn't they know that she had to stay?

Hermione started fighting the hands. "Let go! I need to stay!" she shouted. "Hugo!" She ripped herself from the grasps and ran back up to the window and pressed herself to it.

"Hermione, come on," Harry whispered to her and then gently pried her from the window. "Let's get you back to bed. We'll sort this out. I promise."

Only with that promise did she finally let Harry and Ron escort her back down the hallway to her room. They sat her down on her bed and then Ron pulled the blanket up around her. Hermione noticed as she gripped the blanket that Officer Henderson had followed them there.

Henderson softly closed the door and faced the Golden Trio. "Miss Granger, I know that you're upset, but I must insist that I go over the situation with you," he said as he approached the bed.

Harry grabbed her hand for support. "Do you have any ideas as to who's behind this?" he was finally able to ask.

Henderson shook his head. "Unfortunately, no and it won't be easy to track them down either," he replied.

"Why not?" Ron interjected. "There were three babies stolen today. Surely it'll be hard to be inconspicuous carrying them around!"

With a sigh, Henderson answered, "If it were that simple, yes. It would be extremely easy to locate the culprit. However, we don't think this a ploy to just kidnap infants."

Hermione finally looked up at him. "What do you mean by 'just kidnap'?"

"There's been a pandemonium on the black market for years now about how people are selling infants. They're very high priced on the black market, and as you can see, it'll be particularly hard to track down your son if he gets sold. There will be no leads. It will be like he never existed." Hermione let out a particularly loud sob. "That's why I plan to do everything in my power to track him down before that happens," Henderson explained and Hermione felt more tears build behind her eyes.

Everyone was quiet for a moment as they listened to Hermione's crying and Harry felt extreme sadness and anger for his friend. He then spoke up. "What I don't understand is why St. Mungo's wasn't protected from such an attack. Surely if this is such a problem, the hospital would have defensive spells placed."

"It's strictly black market business, but this is the first time I've ever heard of them targeting St. Mungo's. They usually get their 'merchandise' from homes with newborns," Henderson tried to explain, but Hermione zoned him out. Her son was missing and there was a chance that she'd never see him again. It didn't matter now how it happened.

Hermione curled up on her side and brought the blanket up over her head. She was a mother without a baby and she just prayed that this void that was engulfing her heart wouldn't swallow her soul as well. She then closed her eyes and begged for the gift of sleep to take her away from this troublesome reality.

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><p><em>Wednesday, January 11, 2006<em>

If there was ever a time one didn't want to find oneself in Knockturn Alley, it was at night. Wizards and witches that were too horribly disfigured came out to play at that time and one was better off to stay clear if they knew what was good from them. However, Draco found himself walking with his head down through the twists and turns of Knockturn Alley at half past midnight, way past the safety of the daylight's rays.

Normally Draco had sense enough to stay clear during these dark hours, but tonight was a very special circumstance. Tonight he was going to become a father.

When the letter arrived yesterday saying that a new selection of infants were on the market and how one infant fit his prescribed criteria, Draco had been ecstatic. He couldn't have planned the timing better himself. He had immediately went and showed it to Astoria, who simply nodded and walked away. He knew that she was still having problems accepting what they were doing, but he was positive that once the baby arrived everything would be better.

The trip through the dark alleyway was easier than he expected. He had had only one encounter with one of the late wanderers, who had tried to sell him a jar of pickled eyeballs, but once Draco drew his wand and threatened his life the seller hurried on his way.

Taking a sharp turn, Draco looked up at the overhead sign. It read Alley #17. He quickly checked the letter once again to make certain he was at the right place. After verifying, he further read that it said to knock on the third door down. Draco gripped his wand tightly and walked farther down the alley to where he found the door in the darkest crevice.

He knocked three times before it opened up just a crack. "Yes?" a hoarse voice from the other side asked.

Draco cleared his throat. "I'm Clive Warrington," he informed the man. He had used an alias when he had contacted the baby market. He didn't want to take any chances of any of this coming back to haunt him. "I received a letter about a new infant selection."

The door opened wider then and revealed a short man with a scraggly beard, dressed in haggard clothing. He smiled, which revealed that he was missing some teeth, and said slowly, "Well, 'allo, Mr. Warrin'ton. We be expectin' you." He then ushered Draco to come inside. Vigilantly, he proceeded. "Now, you brought the money, dincha?"

He answered with a swift nod and the man held out his hand in reply as if expecting to get paid on the spot. Draco sneered at him. "I hope you don't assume you're getting paid before I even see the child?" The man dropped his hand with a sneer of his own. "I want to make sure the child is to my satisfaction." When he wrote to them, he gave specific requirements for the child's appearance. He wanted a blonde-haired, grey-eyed male.

"I want proof you 'ave the money!" the man insisted and Draco noticed how the man's hand twitched for his wand.

Draco eyed the man before shrugging. "I suppose that's fair," he drawled. He really didn't want this to get ugly, so he dug into his robes' pocket and brought out a heavy drawstring pouch. Opening it, he reached in and pulled out a few galleons. "Satisfied?"

The man nodded grudgingly. "My wife'll bring 'im out," he said and then shouted, "Maggie, bring out the Warrin'ton brat! The proud papa wants to take a gander at 'im!"

A tall, blonde woman came out of the back room carrying a sleeping babe in her arms. Draco noticed that the woman had the same sense of hygiene as her husband; absolutely none. It disgusted Draco to know that this woman could be holding his son. However, as soon as the woman started walking toward him, he found a whole new reason to be disgusted with her. Her stance reminded him sickeningly of his late Aunt Bellitrix.

"'Allo, there, wanna meet your son? That's what 'e could be, if you want 'im to be, you know?" she said as she angled the baby toward him.

Draco felt uneasy around her, but nevertheless stepped closer to her and the baby. He looked down that the sleeping infant and noticed right away that his hair was blonde. "Are his eyes grey?" he asked.

The woman nodded. "Wouldja like me to wake 'im for you?" she offered as she ran a finger down the side of the baby's face.

Shaking his head, he replied, "That won't be necessary." He then continued to look the boy over before saying, "I want to hold him."

Both the man and woman were hesitant. "You pay 'alf the payment first," the man said gruffly.

Draco stared indignantly. "What if I decide I don't want him?"

They both cackled. "Then you oughta make sure you want 'im first," the woman replied with a smirk.

He scrutinized the woman and then looked down at the child again. He watched as his tiny eyelids fluttered and his little fist twitched. If he could only be sure that the child had grey eyes, then he wouldn't mind paying half in advance to hold him. Maybe he should have the woman wake him up after all.

This contemplation proved unnecessary because at that moment they baby yawned, waking up slowly. He blinked and then started to cry, but before he could scrunch up his face Draco had caught sight of his dark grey eyes. "All right, I'll pay your compensation."

The man greedily came forward, outstretching his hand once again. Draco tried to keep the sneer off his face as he summoned ten thousand galleons out of his pouch. The man accepted it and then with a flick of his wand vanished it somewhere safe. "Go a'ead an' let Mr. Warrin'ton 'old 'is son."

The woman passed Draco the crying boy and he naturally tried to sooth the child by rocking him gently. As the baby slowly settled down, Draco studied him. His face was round and pink, he didn't look to be many days old.

The woman hovered around him, excited that she was about to make a sale. "'E's a cute one, inee?"

Draco ignored her and asked, "How old is he?"

The man answered, "We got 'im yesterday. Our supplier says 'e's bout t'ree days ol'."

Three days old. Draco nodded to himself. He could make that work. "I want him," he said and maneuvered the baby so that he was comfortable in the crook of his left arm. He then summoned the pouch and withdrew another ten thousand galleons.

The man vanished the money again and gave Draco a crooked smile. "'Appy doin' business wiv you, Mr. Warrin'ton."

Draco frowned. "Yes, about that," he started. "I'd like for neither of you to mention who this transaction occurred with."

"Oh wouldja now, an' 'ow important is it to you?" the man inquired.

"I think an extra thousand galleons should be enough to hold both of your tongues," Draco replied. He saw both of their expressions light up greedily at his proposition. He leered and then threw the pouch at them. "Have a pleasant night." He turned and walked out the door and then Apparated back to the manor.

Upon arriving, the baby started wailing. Apparently he didn't care much for Apparation. Draco understood that it probably wasn't the best idea to travel that way with an infant, but he had wanted to get out of that alleyway as soon as he could.

He adjusted the little boy so that his head was now leaning on his shoulder, then he started rubbing his back. "Shh, it's all right. There, there," he said awkwardly, but the baby kept crying. Luckily he didn't have to worry about him waking up his parents as they were sleeping on the other side of the house.

Sighing he finally let himself relax. He'd been planning to get to this moment for the last nine months, but now that he'd gotten here, he realized he had no clue what to do next. He supposed he was just going to have to be a father.

And then the reality of what had happened hit him as the child continued to scream in his ear. He was a father. He no longer had the distraction of the fake pregnancy to conceal or the fear of losing his wife to worry about. Now all that was left was to be a father to this little human being and for the first time he questioned if he was ready for this or not.

Between his slight inner turmoil and the baby crying, he almost missed his wife calling from the top of the stairs. "Draco? What's going on?"

He turned toward his wife and as she descended the steps, he noticed that she had deflated her stomach, that had looked ready to burst when he had left earlier. He hoped this was a good sign and that she was finally accepting what was happening.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. It's just that I Apparated in and the baby didn't appreciate it," he said, praying that his voice was steady. He was still reeling about having to father the boy. He looked down at him and then up at her as she approached. "Do you want to hold him?"

Astoria hadn't taken her eyes off the baby. This was going to be her son, but for some reason she felt nothing for him. "No, I don't think so," she replied.

Draco frowned. "Nonsense, Astoria, he's your son," he insisted and passed the baby to her. She took the still screaming child from him and cradled him in her arms. He watched her rock him and sooth him back to slumber. As he watched his new son fall asleep in his wife's arms, something changed. The fear he had been feeling vanished. He knew as long as his wife was by his side, he could handle being a father.

He reached out and petted the upset boy's head. "We certainly lucked out with him. He's absolutely perfect," he said to her. A small smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. "Welcome home, Scorpius."

Astoria rocked the boy hoping that some kind of bond would form, but she continued to feel nothing for him. Sure, he was an adorable baby, but the more she stared at him the more she began to resent him. He symbolized her failure as a woman and now she was going to have to lie to everyone she knew that she was his mother. She felt her lower lip tremble and had to blink back tears. "Here," she said and she passed him back to Draco. "Excuse me." With that she turned and made her way back up the stairs.

She flew through her bedroom door and fell onto the bed. Tears started pouring out of her eyes. How was she supposed to be a mother to a baby she felt resentment toward? She couldn't do this. Someone would notice.

She turned to look toward the window. She was starting to feel suffocated. This was her life and it was a lie. Looking away from the window, her eyes landed on Draco's firewhiskey cabinet. She'd never drank in her life, but under the circumstances she felt she deserved one drink. Just one drink.

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><p><strong>TBC: Well, what'd ya think? Good? Bad? Mediocre? Leave a review and let me know!<strong>

**Side Note: I'm looking for a beta for this story. Someone who's had experience with beta-ing before. I need someone who's good with grammar and characterization. Anyone up for the job? I don't know when the next update will be. My life's pretty hectic right now, but if anyone's free, then let me know. Thanks.**

**~Snuggle**


	2. Chapter One

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or the magical world in which they live. ****Nor do I make a profit from this upload.********

**Yay, a new chapter! I just have to say that I am in love with my own story. I'm sorry, I know that's really egotistical of me, but I can't help it! This story line is wild! There's so many avenues I could venture down and each one has its own pros and cons! I'm just as excited as you all are for what's going to happen!**

**Well, enjoy the next installment!**

**And now without further ado...** **Black Market ****Mishap**

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><p><em>"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance."<em> - Franklin P. Jones

**Chapter One**

_Sunday, January 17, 2010_

Every day in the Potter house was a new experience. Ginny Potter had been a mother long enough to know that she had to have her wits about her because if she didn't, then her two sons would have the house in an uproar.

And when she said sons she really only meant son. She knew that James was the mastermind behind all of the pranks and that Albus only followed his lead. Not that she didn't think Albus enjoyed being in cahoots with his brother, oh no, she knew he got a laugh out of it as well, but he was still just a babe. He was only almost four, but with James being seven, he knew what he was doing.

As Ginny gave each of her sons their respective breakfasts, she noticed that they were whispering back and forth. "What are you two-"

They suddenly sat up straight. "Morning, Dad!" James exclaimed as Harry walked in through the kitchen archway.

"Morning, Dad." Albus said, copying James and grabbing his fork.

"Good morning, boys," Harry said with a smile. He was just about to greet his wife when a "Hungry!" from his right sidetracked him. A small red-headed toddler was sitting in a highchair. "Well, hello, pumpkin. And how is my Lily this morning?"

His daughter smiled shyly back as Ginny walked over to them. "She was getting fussy waiting on her breakfast."

"Fussy? My Lily? Never," he joked. "She's much too like her mother to have a temper."

Ginny glared playfully at him. "For that comment, you get to help her eat." She then waved her wand and Lily's food floated over to him.

Harry happily accepted the plate, but before his wife could turn away, he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her into a swift kiss. "Love, you know I adore everything about you, right? Even your fiery temper. It keeps me on my toes, if nothing else."

Smirking, Ginny pulled away from him. "Harry, your sweet words are coming quicker and quicker. I'm proud of how fast you came up with that. It was almost believable." With a saucy wink to show that she was joking, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Chuckling, Harry began feeding Lily and Ginny turned back to her boys. James was pointing to his open mouth and making gagging noises while Albus giggled at him. "James, stop making faces and eat your breakfast. And Al, please stop encouraging your brother."

All was calm after that for a few minutes while everyone ate until a series of taps were heard from the window. Ginny turned towards the noise and recognized Hermione's tawny owl, Penthos, sitting on the sill.

"I'll get it!" James yelled and was about to get up, but his mother outsmarted him by summoning the letter over to her. She then proceeded to get Penthos some treats as a reward for his long journey. James sank back down in a pout and muttered something about wanting a wand himself.

"What's the news?" Harry asked as he cut up another pancake for Lily.

"Probably the usual weekly update," she replied as she broke the wax seal. While it was true that it wasn't unusual to get a letter from Hermione and that they usually heard from her at least once a week, the contents of this letter were quite different than the others. Ginny quickly looked up at her husband, startled, "She's moving back home!"

Harry stood up immediately and took the letter from Ginny's hands.

_Dear Harry and Gin,_

_I hope this finds you both well and that it didn't disturb your breakfast too much. (I know how James and Albus can get.) I fear, however, that what I'm about to tell you might in fact cause a disturbance anyway._

_I don't know how I could have overlooked the fact that my work visa needed renewing, but it seems that I've let it go and get expired. So, because of this I've been informed by the French Minister of Magic that while the French wizarding community appreciates and respects everything that I've accomplished while working here, they have no choice but to deport me until I apply for a new one._

_Before either of you get yourselves too excited, I want to make it clear that I am not staying indefinitely. You both know the reasons why I left Britain in the first place and just because I have to come back doesn't mean they've changed. No amount of pleading or bargaining will change my mind about this either (this especially holds true for Ron)._

_I'll be arriving by Portkey at two o'clock this afternoon at The Leaky Cauldron, where I'll be staying until this whole mess is cleared up. So, I suppose I'll be seeing all of your lovely faces before you know it._

_Sending all my love,_  
><em>Hermione<em>

_P.S. Give the kids a kiss for me._

Harry looked up at Ginny, wanting to see her reaction to this and saw that she was just as torn as he was about it. On one hand, he was elated to see Hermione coming home at last, but on the other he was concerned about his friend's healing process. It had only been four years since that tragic day when Hugo was kidnapped. Four years for Hermione to continue to hope that he would be found, four years for her to continually suffer when he went missing still.

"I don't know how to feel about this, Gin," he said confessing his inner struggle.

"I don't know either, Harry. It doesn't sound like she has much of a choice," Ginny answered after a pause.

"Does this mean Aunt 'Mione is coming over?" James asked excitedly as he jumped up and down in his seat. Albus copied his movements with only a short delay, causing the dishes on the table to rattle. "Do you think she's going to bring me more of those chocolates?"

Both Harry and Ginny groaned. "I hope to Godric that she doesn't," Harry said as he remembered how his sons had ate all of the French chocolates in one sitting without his knowledge. As a result, it had kept James and Albus up all night, bouncing off the walls. "For my sanity's sake, I pray that she got you something else."

"I don't know what sand-tity is," James said, butchering the word. "but I want the candy! They were the best candies ever!"

"I want candy, too, Mummy!" Albus exclaimed.

Ginny saw how excited her boys were and, although the last time they had had the chocolates was a nightmare, she didn't have the heart to cause their happy faces to melt away. So, she opted for a neutral answer. "Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see, now won't we?"

James and Albus continued to reminisce about the delicious French chocolates while Ginny took over Harry's job of cutting up Lily's food. Harry looked down at the letter in silence. He wondered how Hermione was taking the news of having to come back. Her letter didn't offer any insight into her state of mind.

He contemplated for a little longer before turning to Ginny. "I think I'm going to head over to Ron's. I want to know if he received a letter, too. If he did, then maybe she wrote more about what's happening."

Ginny looked perplexed. "In the middle of breakfast? Why don't you wait till the boys are done and then we'll go with you-" But her breath was wasted because the next thing she knew he was going out the kitchen door. "Harry James Potter!" she shouted, but the sound of the Floo told her he was gone.

She rolled her eyes with a huff. "And he wonders why his sons have minds of their own." She was just about to rush them through the rest of the meal when the kitchen was suddenly engulfed in darkness. Ginny slightly panicked when Lily started crying, but as soon as she heard laughter she knew there was no danger.

Her sons had just filled the room with Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. "James Sirius! You best hope that you are not here when this kitchen clears!" The laughter quickly faded with the sounds of retreating footsteps.

**... ...**

Things were just as perplexing at Ron's house as they were at Harry's. When Harry came through the Floo, the first thing he noticed was that the house was quiet. Harry had learned from experience that the house of a Weasley was never quiet, so to find Ron's in such a way disoriented him.

Walking farther into the living room, Harry called, "Hello?" It was then that he heard someone running down the stairs. Not a moment later did a little girl with strawberry blonde pigtails poke her head around the stair banister.

A wide grin broke across her face when she saw who it was. "Uncle Harry!" she yelled as she ran across the room to him.

Harry caught the girl as she jumped into his arms, then he situated her on his hip. "Well, hello there, Rose," he greeted with a smile. He pulled on one of the pigtails, noticing that they were lopsided. "Your hair's stylish today. Did you do it yourself?"

Rose nodded proudly. "Yep!" she said and then excitement flooded her face. "Uncle Harry, there's a monster in my woom!"

Harry gasped dramatically. "What! How did you survive the night then?"

"Daddy saved me! His sword killed it!" she explained wildly.

"Oh yeah, I killed it all right," Harry heard Ron say and looked over to find his best friend by the bottom of the stairs. He had a smug smile on his face. "I had to scare it out the window first, but the ruddy monster didn't get far."

Rose nodded. "It fell and died!" Harry laughed as he put Rose back on the ground. She then ran over to her father and hugged him. "Daddy's a knight!"

Ron chuckled and kissed her on the forehead. "That's right, sweetie," he told her as she beamed up at him. "Why don't you play outside while Uncle Harry and I talk? We have to make sure no more monsters get into your room."

"Goodie!" she exclaimed and then ran towards the door. "I go play with the gnomes!"

"Don't forget to put your coat on! It's chilly outside!" Ron called after her

"Okay, Daddy!" she answered back.

Ron then shook his head as the door slammed shut a few minutes later. "Sorry about that. She's going through this exaggeration phase. Last night she levitated her bed to get away from the shadows in her room. I had to check every crevice to calm her down."

Harry nodded solemnly. "Well, it's a good thing you had a sword, then. How else would you have gotten rid of that monster?"

Ron rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "She likes to pretend my wand is a sword," he informed him. He then scratched the back of his head. "So, I assume you got a letter from Hermione, too, then."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. What do you think of her having to come back?" he asked, wanting to hear Ron's opinion on this.

"Honestly, mate, I'm more happy than I am anything else," he said with a shrug. "I mean, I know why she moved away when she did, but I miss having her home. It's just not the same without Hermione around."

"I know, but-"

"That's why Luna and I have been sending out invitations all morning," Ron interrupted him. "When we got the letter, Luna said something about wanting to have a welcome home dinner when she got back, but then I suggested that we make it a surprise party at The Leaky Cauldron. She won't be here until two, so we've been contacting everyone to see if they're free. We've already got a few confirmations."

Blinking away his surprise, Harry stared at his friend. "Do you think she'll want that? I mean, it's a great thought, but she's not staying permanently. I just don't want to overwhelm her, what with it being January and everything. It's a rough month for her without all of this."

"I was afraid of that too, Harry," said a dreamy voice from the stairs. Harry turned to see Ron's wife, Luna, walking down the stairs carrying a baby with bright red hair. Once on the bottom, she made her way over to Ron's side and Ron leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "But I think it'll be nice for her to know that everyone misses and loves her."

"Harry's just being overprotective of her," Ron said with a smile. "I thought you were putting him down for a nap?" He reached out and tapped his seven month old son, Lysander, on the nose. He was the perfect mix of Luna and Ron. He had his father's features and his mother's expressions.

Luna smiled lazily. "I was, but he decided he wasn't tired," she said, and then turned her gaze to Harry. "Actually, Harry, since you're being overprotective you should know that we invited Adair to the party."

Harry blanched. "What? Don't you think that might open up old wounds?" he asked her.

She stared at him for a moment and then answered simply, "I don't think it'll be that bad. They formed a close friendship while she was here and the last I heard they were still in contact. I think she'll appreciate him being there."

Harry ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I have misgivings about this whole thing, but if you've already got things in motion, it doesn't look like I'll be able to stop it," he conceded. "So, how many people exactly are going to be there?"

Luna smiled at him. "Rest assured, there won't be many there. This is short notice after all."

"Yeah, mate, just the family, her parents, and a few friends," Ron said nonchalantly. Harry eyed the both of them warily. The whole Weasley clan was a crowd by themselves and when a few friends plus her parents were added to the mix, it could get overcrowded very quickly. He was just about to ask what Ron meant by a few, when the emerald flash from the fireplace distracted him.

James came out of the fireplace and as soon as he laid eyes on his father, he said, "Mum's angry."

Harry watched in confusion as his son went to sit on the couch in a pout, but didn't have time to ask anything because Albus soon followed through the Floo. "Daddy, don't be mad!" Albus cried as he attached himself to his father's leg.

"What happened? What did you two do?" he asked, looking from one son to the other.

"I'll tell you what your sons did," came his wife's voice from the flame before she walked out carrying Lily. "Your sons flooded the kitchen with darkness powder and scared your daughter so much that she caused the kitchen sink to explode. It took me forever to calm her down and I won't even tell you what condition the kitchen's in. I tried to fix the sink, but whatever kind of magic she used, Repairo just isn't cutting it. I did however get the water to stop."

Harry could tell his wife was fuming. Her eyes were bright and her free hand was placed on her hip. He once again looked at his sons. James was still pouting and staring in the opposite direction, and Albus was looking up at him with tears in his eyes. He inwardly sighed knowing his wife wanted him to berate them, but seeing as they were guests at the moment he decided that if he could get an apology out of them, then maybe that would appease his wife. "Boys, of all the days to play this prank…" he said shaking his head.

"Daddy, no! James made me!" Albus cried, clutching Harry's trouser leg.

This statement caused James to stand up. "Don't listen to him! He wanted to do it! He threw the powder!" he accused, causing Albus to cry harder.

"No! You says Mummy would laugh!" he yelled.

James was just about to yell back, but Harry intervened. "All right, that's quite enough," he said firmly. "Now, did either one of you apologize to your mother?"

They were silent for a moment as they shook their heads. Albus sniffled a little as he turned to his mother. "Sorry I braked the kitchen, Mummy."

"Yeah, sorry, Mum," James offered as well. "I didn't mean to scare Lily either."

Some of the steam left Ginny's eyes as she listened to her sons apologize. With a sigh, she nodded. "You two put me at my wit's end, but I accept your apology."

Albus smiled and ran over to give his mother a hug and James looked marginally happier than he had moments before. "Well, I'm glad that's over with," Ron said awkwardly. "Gin, you look scarily like Mum when you're angry."

Ginny smiled at him while Luna told the boys that Rose was playing in the garden. They both scampered off to join her after their mother transfigured some warmer clothes for them. "Play too?" Lily asked as she timidly played with her mother's hair.

"Um, why don't you play on the floor, sweetie," Ginny told her daughter. She wasn't sure if Lily was ready to play with the older kids yet. "I'm sure Aunt Luna has some toys for you to play with."

"Of course," Luna said, "I'm sure some of Rosie's toys will entertain her." She then went up the stairs to grab them.

Ginny turned to her husband and her brother. "So, did you find anything more on Hermione?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "No, but apparently Ron and Luna are throwing a surprise party for her when she arrives."

Ginny smiled brightly. "Really?" she asked as she set Lily on the ground. "She'll love that."

"See!" Ron interjected smugly.

Harry pursed his lips. "I just think that this might be a little too much for her, is all," he explained. "I don't want her leaving faster than she has to."

"Nonsense, Harry, she's not made of china," Ginny chided him. She then reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're worried about her, we all are, but remember 'happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.' She needs to know we're here for her and that we always will be, no matter how often she visits."

Hearing one of Dumbledore's quotes lightened Harry's worries immensely. He shouldn't be constantly worried about Hermione being reminded of all her sorrows. Instead he should be concentrating on bringing happiness and joy back into her life.

As Luna came back down stairs carrying a few dollies, Harry smiled. "You're right," he supplied. "Let's make Hermione's homecoming one she'll never forget."

**... ...**

Of all the pictures Hermione had to come across while packing, did it have to be this one? She tried to just glance at it and stuff it into one of the many boxes in her flat, but the glance soon turned into full out staring.

The picture was of three heavily pregnant women standing in a line with their arms around each other. The first woman was herself. She was in her last month and she was glowing and laughing. Ginny stood beside her with her eight month belly rivaling her own in width. Luna was next in line, only seven months along.

This had been taken only three days before Hermione went into labor. She had been so happy then.

As she continued to gaze at the picture, tears slide down her cheeks. She zoned in on her pregnant belly. Her little Hugo was in there. Safe and warm and expecting to come into the world surrounded by love…

He was supposed to come home to her parents' house, to the little nursery that she had made up for him, but instead she returned alone and had to face a room full of baby stuff that never gotten to be used. Both of her friends had got to take their brand new baby home and she had had to watch them shower them with love while she teamed up with Officer Henderson and searched endlessly for her child.

The year that followed Hugo's kidnapping, Hermione and Adair had followed countless leads and turned up with nothing each time. It got to the point where with every new clue Hermione had to talk herself into checking into it. It hurt so much to come to a dead end and then have to start from scratch. Still, she continued following all of the missing baby cases until one major stunt stopped her cold.

Adair had come up with a plan to try to buy a black market baby in disguise. He said it would give them an instant look into the workings of the baby business. They had planned for weeks and finally got in contact with the right people. However, that was when it all went wrong.

The man they met with was extremely skeptical of them. He asked them all kinds of questions and finally when they thought they had secured themselves enough information, the man booked. He had told them that he would make a quick Floo call to his people, but he never came back. After that every shady character knew of their search. They had officially exhausted their case.

It had devastated Hermione. That was when she knew she had to throw in the towel. She had to accept the harsh truth that she would never see her son again. She knew she couldn't stay in England. She couldn't bare to watch her friends with their growing families when all it reminded her of was how her son should be growing right along side them.

She had acquired a work permit and moved to Paris the month of her case's failure.

Of course this had all happened over four years ago now, but it still amazed Hermione how painful it could be to remember everything she had gone through.

Releasing a sigh, Hermione placed the picture into one of the boxes. She then took out her wand and shrunk them, and then levitated all of them into two duffel bags. She had placed Undetectable Extension Charms on them, which made it convenient while traveling quickly.

With a final glance around her French apartment, she felt a wave of nostalgia. It had been her home for the past three years, though she hoped that it wouldn't be long before she would be able to come back.

She hoisted the two bags onto her shoulders and made her way over to her Portkey. It was scheduled to activate any minute now. Hermione grabbed hold of the grungy pair of reading glasses and not thirty seconds later she felt the typical pull behind her navel.

As soon as her feet touched sturdy ground, her ears were assaulted with a chorus of "Surprise!" She faltered in her stance as her bags slid down her arms. To say she was surprised would have been an understatement. The usual disorganized Leaky Cauldron was packed full with smiling faces. Hermione smiled uncertainly as she took in all the familiar faces. "What's going on?" she asked, truly mystified.

Harry and Ron made their way over to her and took her bags for her. "It's your surprise, welcome home party, of course!" Ron told her as he gave her a one-armed hug.

"My what?" she asked, still reeling from such a warm welcome.

"Your welcome home party," Ron answered as they started walking towards the crowd. "You didn't think we'd let your return happen without a bang, did you?"

Hermione was amazed. "But I only gave you…" She quickly did the mental math in her head, "five hours notice about when I'd be here. How did you get so many people to show up?"

Harry adjusted the bags on his shoulder. "Well, that little miracle is thanks to Ron and Luna," he said with a smile, happy to see that Hermione was pleasantly surprised. "They got to work on it as soon as they got your letter."

Hermione was about to say how shocked she was and that they shouldn't have gone through so much trouble, but was interrupted by Ginny's warm embrace. "Oh, Hermione, it's so wonderful to see you!" As she pulled away, she looked over to her husband and brother. "Why don't you both take her things up to her room? Hermione shouldn't keep her guests waiting."

"I wish I had known I had guests," Hermione said as Ginny started leading her. "I would have worn something for the occasion."

Ginny laughed. "You look just fine, Hermione," she answered. "And besides, if you had known to wear something nice, then it would have taken away from the surprise."

Silently, Hermione agreed.

As Hermione looked around the room, she noticed just who all was there. Her parents were smiling over from the back. She could see that despite their welcoming looks, they were slightly uncomfortable in a room full of relative strangers. She saw Hagrid's large frame over at the bar. He waved when they made eye contact. She also recognized Andromeda Tonks talking with George, so she assumed Teddy was around there somewhere as well. She even saw Neville running around trying to maintain the party with his wife, Hannah, who was the new landlady/barkeep of the pub.

However, the mass majority of the guests were members of the Weasley clan. They all clustered around her as she made her way to the bar. Mrs. Weasley pulled her into an embrace just as warm as Ginny's had been. "Hermione, dear, it's so good to see you. I hope your trip was pleasant?" she asked as she pulled away.

Hermione laughed. "Yes, the instant commute was very accommodating," she teased and Mrs. Weasley patted her on the check. She then stepped back to let the next person talk to her. After a few short conversations with Bill and Fleur, her parents finally got to her.

Her mother gushed the usual greeting and pleasantries and her father hugged her. They talked about how long it would take before she could go back to France and she told them that she'd have to take it up with the Minister. Hermione could tell by her mother's expression that she didn't like the idea of Hermione moving away again, but she didn't say anything and for that Hermione was grateful.

After the delay, Ginny and Hermione finally made it to the bar area. Ginny pulled her to the end farthest from Hagrid in an attempt to talk as privately as possible. It was then that Ginny sprung. "Now, tell me. How have you been?"

Hermione was slightly puzzled. She hadn't been cornered like this in years. "Um, I'm fine. I mean, I'm a bit upset that my visa expired, but it'll be easy to fix I'm sure."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Because it looks to me like you've had a crying fest recently," she inquired and Hermione instinctively brought her hand up to her face.

"I'm fine, really," she assured Ginny after rubbing her cheeks. "I just came across a picture while packing and got a bit misty eyed, is all."

Ginny surveyed her face and once she determined that Hermione was telling the truth, she smiled. "All right. What do you say we get Hannah to put together one of her famous lunches?"

Hermione was about to agree, but before she could she was bombarded by three children. "Aunt 'Mione!" Hermione staggered under their weight, but nonetheless hugged them back.

"Well, hello, you three." she said as James, Albus, and Rose pulled back from her. "And how are my favorite niece and nephews?"

Ginny laughed. "Now, Aunt 'Mione, you know you can't say that," she teased with her hands on her hips. "Not when you're surrounded by all of your other nieces and nephews."

"Oh," she said with a devious look in her eyes as she bent down closer to them. "Then it'll have to be our little secret, now won't it?" She winked at them and they all giggled.

James was the first to launch in with the questions about his gifts. Ginny scalded him for being rude, but Hermione disputed saying that their gifts were upstairs and that they would have to wait until later to get them.

They were then joined by Harry and Ron. "Please tell me you're enjoying yourself," Harry said as he put an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Yes, please put his worries to rest," Ron interjected. "He's been going barmy about your mental state."

Hermione furrowed her brow. "My mental state?"

Harry had the decency to look sheepish. "I just didn't want you to be overwhelmed when you got here," he said. "It is a hard time of the year for you, after all."

A warm feeling filled her heart. Harry had always been the big brother she never had and she appreciated that he still looked out for her even if she didn't visit as often as she should. "I love the party."

"See, told you, mate," Ron said proudly.

"Thank you for your concern though. It means a lot," she said as she kissed his cheek. "As for my state of my mind, I can assure you that I'm doing as well as to be expected. Like you said, it is that time of year, but I've learned to face my demons one day at a time."

"Glad to hear it," said a deep voice from behind.

Whirling around, Hermione saw the familiar, dark face of Adair Henderson. "Adair!" she exclaimed in surprise before rushing to give him a quick hug. "Wow, it's such a surprise to see you!"

Adair smiled. "And you as well," he said good-naturedly. "I know we're a bit late, but Krysten had a recital this morning and we hoped we'd have enough time to stop by."

It was then that a small woman with caramel skin color walked up beside Adair. "Adair," she said, making her presence known and grabbing his left arm.

"Hermione, you remember my wife, Nadia," Adair said, clasping his wife's hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Of course," Hermione said as she shook Nadia's free hand. "How are you, Nadia?"

A pleasant smile crossed her face. "I'm doing quite well." she answered. "Of course, my writing is suffering just a tad, what with being a full time mother."

Hermione remembered that Nadia was a novelist and back when she was in better contact with Adair, Nadia was always seen with a pen or quill in her hand. "I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione said sincerely, "But I'm sure motherhood has its rewards as well. How old is Krysten now, anyway."

"She turned thirteen last month." Adair replied as Nadia squeezed his arm.

"They grow up so fast," Nadia said with a sigh.

Hermione nodded solemnly. "It is peculiar how fast the years go by." A sad smile graced her lips, which Adair returned.

The clearing of Ginny's throat caused the attention to switch over to her observant friends. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm starving and Hannah said the food was ready," Ginny stated. "You're welcome to sit at our table Adair, Nadia."

"That sounds lovely, but we really were only stopping in," Adair explained. "Tonight is a faculty dinner and it's been on the calendar for weeks."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Hermione said with a wave of her hand. "I'm glad you stopped by at all."

Adair nodded. "I'm glad I got to see you too, Hermione. We'll have to do lunch once before you leave again," he said and with another quick hug and, after a few more farewells, the Henderson family made their leave.

Hermione then turned to the bar and waited for Hannah to hand her and her friends the lunch she had prepared before making their way over to a table to eat. They weren't alone for very long though, not when a party was in full swing with Hermione as the star.

She continued to make small talk with the people she hadn't see in months, but the more she chatted the more she found that she had very little to contribute to conversations. Everyone had stories of their children and families and while Hermione loved to hear about them, she didn't have any of her own stories to add. It was definitely weighing down on her and she found herself wishing for the afternoon to end.

**... ...**

A young boy's laughter filled the air as his father brought out a mini broom for him. It wouldn't be the first time that the boy had ridden one, but each time he saw it he became so giddy he could barely contain himself.

Draco joined in on his son's laughter. He loved seeing him so happy. "Here you go, son," he said as he passed him the toy broom, which he took quickly. "Now, do you remember what happened last time?"

Scorpius looked up at his father. "I falled off," he answered.

"And?"

Bringing up a finger to his chin, Scorpius thought more about the last time he flew. "And I hurted my knee."

"And why did that happen?" Draco asked seriously.

Scorpius was quiet for a moment. "I don't know," he said finally with a shrug of his shoulders.

Draco chuckled to himself, then kneeled down to his level. "Really? You don't know why you fell off your broom and hurt your knee?" Scorpius shook his head in reply as he tightened his grip on the broom. "Well, then I guess I'll have to refresh your memory, won't I? …Remember how I told you not to go too fast? Remember I told you if you did go too fast then you could get hurt? And what did you do anyway?"

"I went fast."

"That's right." Draco nodded. He looked his son in the eyes and said, "All right, now tell me what's not going to happen this time?"

"I won't fall." he stated and then started to mount his broom, but Draco halted him.

"Wait a minute! That's not what I wanted you to say," he said as Scorpius looked at him with an impatient expression. "Scor, I just want you to promise me that you won't go faster that I can walk, all right? Promise me."

"I pwomise, Daddy. I won't go fast," Scorpius recited and then started bouncing from one foot to the other. "Can I fly now?"

Laughing, Draco stood up. "Yes. Go ahead." With that, Scorpius kicked off the ground. The broom only allowed him to hover high enough so that his feet were a couple inches off the ground, but it was enough for Scorpius. He laughed and laughed as the broom moved this way and that. Draco easily kept up with him, but as he walked slightly behind his son, he couldn't help but admire him.

Scorpius's hair had grown in curly and while his hair was still blonde, it wasn't the pale blonde he'd had during infancy because it had darkened over the years. Consequently, his hair wasn't the only feature that darkened on his son. His grey eyes, which had once been important to his identity, had steadily turned brown. Draco had heard of infants' eyes changing color as they got older, but that still didn't stop the fear that someone would challenge Scorpius's paternity.

The fear turned out to be unnecessarily. When ever someone would bring it up, they merely pegged it as Astoria's darker features showing up in him. This soothed Draco immensely and soon he found that he didn't have to worry about someone figuring out his dark secret.

Watching and helping this young boy grow up had been easier than Draco had thought it would be. As Scorpius learned to crawl, Draco no longer saw him as just the baby he paid for. When Scorpius took his first steps, Draco boasted to everyone he met and when Scorpius said his first word, Draco knew that he would forever be wrapped around his son's little finger.

It was so easy to fall in love with this little boy. He was always smiling and laughing. Draco tried to make him want for nothing and also not be as spoiled as he was at his age, but it was proving difficult when all he wanted to do was give his son the world.

With every passing day, Draco found himself just a bit more enraptured by his son, but he also found, to his disappointment, that with every step closer he grew to Scorpius, Astoria took a step back and grew colder to him.

A loud crack interrupted Draco's thoughts and was then followed by the raspy voice of a House-elf. "Master, the missus would like a word, sir."

Draco gave it a curt nod and it left with another crack. On the inside, Draco was miffed by his wife's sudden request, but he kept his exterior cool for Scorpius. "Son, we're going to have to call it quits for the day," he said and Scorpius let out a whine. "None of that. Your mother wants to see us."

Grudgingly Scorpius dismounted his broom and then handed it to his father. "We play later?" he asked with a pout.

"Perhaps, if there's time," Draco replied as he took his son's hand. They then made their way to the back entrance. At the door, Draco set the toy down. One of the House-elves would get to it later.

Once inside, they got rid of their hats and cloaks and then walked through the wide hall to the stairs that led to their side of the manor. Upon arriving at Draco's bedroom door, he slowly opened it. When he found the room void of light he turned to his son. "Why don't you go visit Mamie and Pépère? They should be in the drawing room."

Scorpius stared at his father for a moment. "What about Mummy?" he asked.

Draco sighed. "She's still in her room. Mummy just got up from her nap and you know how she gets," he tried to explain. Scorpius nodded slowly as he remembered his mother's crankiness. "Now, run along. You don't want to keep Mamie waiting, now do you?"

A big smile stretched across his little face. "She read to me?" he asked excitedly.

Smiling, Draco replied, "Only if you ask nicely." Scorpius' eyes widened happily and then he ran back down the stairs. He would have told him not to run, but the boy was fast and already out of ear shot. Shaking his head in wonder, Draco turned back to his bedroom door. Taking a deep breath, he pushed it open. "Astoria?" he asked.

A groan came from a lump on the bed. "Not so loud, Draco," she whined, pulling the covers closer around herself.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Astoria, I didn't even speak loudly," he said and she just whined more as if to say that he was doing it again. He then let out an agitated sigh, but nonetheless gave in and started whispering. "This is nonsense. It's time to get out of bed."

She was quiet for a moment. "I will as soon as you get me a headache potion," she whimpered.

Draco couldn't believe that she had another hangover. She had promised that she would try to stop this silly addiction. This was the third time this month that she had woken up with one. Although some said that wasn't too bad and that she just might like the buzz it gave her, Draco knew that it wasn't just about the buzz. Astoria might not be hungover every morning, but that didn't mean she wasn't drunk most of the time. She was never without a drink in her hand and frankly Draco was getting tired of it.

He adored his wife, but sometimes he resented the fact that she wanted nothing to do with the life that he had given to them, their son being a big part of that life. Now he knew that she still had trouble coping with the fact that she couldn't have children, but becoming a drunk wasn't the answer. One, it was extremely unladylike and two, it was unhealthy.

Turning sharply, he walked over to the adjoining bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. After scanning the bottles and then moving some around when he didn't see it, he concluded that they were out of the potion needed. "Of course," he mumbled to himself and then pinched the bridge of his nose.

He walked back to the bedside and whispered, "We're out of potion, love." She let out a defeated groan and burrowed deeper into the mattress. "I'll make a quick run to the apothecary."

"Thank you," she muttered.

Draco watched her pathetic form for a moment and then asked, "Will you at least get out of bed while I'm gone? It's already past two in the afternoon. It's ridiculous that you're still in bed."

She was silent as she contemplated the pain that that request required. "Will you be quick?" she inquired.

"Yes," he answered. "Just be in the parlor waiting when I get back." He watched her nod and then headed to his study. He summoned his gloves and cloak before grabbing a pinch of Floo Powder. He stepped into his study's fireplace and then used the Floo to Diagon Alley's apothecary in a sea of emerald flames.

At his stop, Draco walked swiftly through Ingram's Apothecary's grate. He looked around and was pleased to notice that it wasn't busy.

At his entrance the storekeeper, Boris Ingram, looked up. "Ah, Mr Malfoy, what might you be picking up today?" he asked.

Draco stared at him blankly. He hated the fact that the storekeeper could recognize him and it wasn't because he was a repented Death Eater, no, it was because he visited the shop quite frequently for Astoria. Headache potions were the usual, but occasionally it could be for something else. However, those few scenarios weren't very often, but it still happened.

"I just need three packs of headache potion," he drawled. He quickly calculated in his head if that would be enough to keep him from here for at least a month. For every pack there were six phials, so if she took one once a day, then it would last him eighteen days. That didn't seem like a long enough gap between visits to him. "Make that four packs."

Mr Ingram nodded and went to work gathering his large order. Draco waited impatiently, while tapping his foot. He wanted out of there as soon as possible.

The potions were packed and ready in fifteen minutes. Mr Ingram handed the packages to Draco in exchange for the payment. "I'll be seeing you next month then, Mr Malfoy?" he inquired with a smile.

Draco glared at the man violently and the storekeeper froze with fear. "Don't presume to know my schedule or my habits" he sneered. He scrutinized the man and knew that he was judging him for continually buying headache potion. Probably had a good laugh every time he left. With one final glare he swiftly walked out the door with his cloak billowing behind him.

He was halfway down the alley when he realized that he should have just used the Floo back home, but he hadn't wanted to ask the storekeeper for a pinch of Floo Powder. He wasn't about to let his pride suffer to the likes of a grungy apothecary anyway.

He assumed that he should be getting back. He did tell Astoria he'd be quick. However, upon looking at the time on an alley clock, Draco decided that since he was here he might as well pick up Scorpius a late lunch. They had been so preoccupied with playing outside today that they had skipped it entirely.

Draco made his way to the end of the alley and then into The Leaky Cauldron. As soon as he walked in though, he regretted coming at all. The place was packed. He almost turned around and left, thinking he could just get his son an ice cream instead, but he decided that his son's nutrition was more important.

However, the more Draco pushed through the crowd the more he began to realize that this wasn't just any ordinary throng of people. No, too many of them had red hair. He then began to regret his decision of staying.

He kept his head down as he pushed through the herd. Of course this would be the day the Weasley's threw a party. The same day he happened to be in Diagon Alley. Brilliant.

When he reached the bar area, he scanned around him and luckily no one was paying attention. He then turned his attention to the barkeeper. Hannah Longbottom was chatting with the oversized oaf at the far end of the bar, but it didn't take her long to feel his eyes upon her.

He watched as she quickly ended her conversation with the half-giant and made her way over to him. "Malfoy, I didn't know you were invited to the party," she inquired bluntly.

Draco simply ignored her, but internally remarked how unprofessional it was not to address him as Mr Malfoy. He was a paying customer after all. "I just want Scorpius' usual lunch order." he stated, hoping she would get that he didn't want to make small talk.

Hannah studied him for a moment before hesitantly turning to prepare his order. Inwardly, Draco sighed with relief. The sooner she made it the faster he could get out of here without being seen.

Of course that would have been asking for a miracle. At that moment, a woman came up beside him and leaned over the bar. "Hannah, once you're free could you fix me a tonic and lime? It's getting hot in here," she said, while fanning herself.

Draco faintly recognized the voice, but didn't want to waste time in trying to place it. It was a Weasley family friend and he didn't care for anyone who associated with that lot.

The two of them stood there in silence as the party around them offered background noise. The woman next to him started to tap her fingers on the counter and after a minute it started to grate on Draco's nerves. He mentally urged his order to be done faster.

Finally a minute later, Hannah turned with a wrapped lunch in her hand. "Here you go, Malfoy. Tell Scorpius there's a bit of pudding in there for a snack later," she said with a smile.

Draco nodded curtly after taking the lunch and added it to the other packages in his cloak. He was about to leave, but he felt the woman next to him staring intently. He rolled his eyes and then turned his sharp gaze towards her.

"Malfoy?" she asked incredulously.

Cursing his rotten luck, Draco turned his eyes to the person addressing him. He took in her appearance. Her bushy hair gave her identity away immediately. "Yes, Granger?" he replied curtly.

She shook her head. "Nothing. I was just shocked to see you here, is all. Carry on," she said, dismissing him and then faced forward again to wait for her drink.

For some reason this irked Draco. How dare she waste his time like that. "And why would it shock you to see me here? The last time I checked this was an open pub and I have just as much right to be here as you or any of your posse of friends," he sneered.

She turned slowly back to him with her eyebrows raised. "I never insinuated that you didn't, Malfoy," she said calmly. "I only meant that it surprised me to see you among so many Weasleys."

Draco scrutinized her. "Yes, it is odd, but believe me, if I had known that any of you would be here I wouldn't have stepped one foot into this facility," he drawled as he gave his cloak a cocky tug.

The corner of her lips twitched. "You haven't changed a bit, have you, Malfoy?" she asked. "You're still the same pompous ferret you always were."

He stared at her in disdain. "I could say the same about you, Granger. You're still an insufferable bookworm, who thinks she knows it all," he said darkly.

He gave her a quick once-over. Her hair was frizzier than he remembered it being and she had bags under her eyes. He then continued, "But unlike you, time's been kind to me. What, Granger, your life not all you wanted it to be? Is it your job? Are you not helping enough people? …Or maybe it's your love life. I hear the wonder boys are already married. Did neither of them want you? I-" He was cut off when liquid was slung into his face.

He hadn't even noticed that she had gotten her drink, although even if he had, he never would have predicted that she would have thrown it in his face. He wiped the wetness from his eyes just in time to see her bushy hair disappear into the mass of people.

He decided that he himself had better leave before the dream team made an appearance. Either way, he'd stayed away from home long enough. Astoria was probably cursing him at that very moment.

With a flick of his wand his face was dry again, and he then starting pushing his way towards the fireplace so that he could get back to his wife and son.

**... ...**

Agony. That's what the pain in her head was causing her and Draco had only been gone five minutes. She'd promised him that she'd get out of bed and here she was, sitting in the parlor waiting for her relief and he'd probably be gone for another ten minutes at the most. She leaned against the arm of the chair and placed her head on her hand. Groaning, she wished she could go back to bed. At least then she'd be able to deal with the pounding in her head with the comfort of a pillow.

She was just about to head back to the bed for another five minutes or so when the door creaked open. She opened her eyes expecting to see her husband, but was unnerved to discover that instead of Draco it was Scorpius.

Astoria groaned again. She definitely wasn't in the mood to have him in here with her. Maybe if she ignored him, he'd leave. "Mummy?" he called, and she cursed her luck, but remained silent. "Are you awake now, Mummy?" Scorpius walked farther into the room with a smile on his face.

"Scorpius, go back downstairs," she told him firmly, but he ignored her.

"Guess what, Mummy?" he asked, and the volume of his voice made the pounding in Astoria's head worse. "Daddy let me wide my bwoom! And I got no boo-boos! Do you wide bwooms, Mummy?"

"Scorpius," she said warningly, but he didn't seem to hear her because he was now climbing up onto her chair with her. It was then that she noticed that he had brought toys in with him.

"I got my toys. We can play now!" he said, but with his voice so close it felt like her head was about to split open. "You be this widditch player and I-"

Astoria gripped her head tighter before yelling, "For the love of Merlin, Scorpius, shut up!" The boy froze on her lap. "Get out. …Just go to your room." He stared up at her as his eyes filled up with confused tears. Astoria gently scooted him off her lap. "Don't start crying. Just go to your room like a good boy." She gestured toward the door. "Go on."

Scorpius clutched his toys and nodded before leaving the room. Astoria hated making the boy cry, but she also didn't like to be in the same room with him if she could help it. She knew it was horrible, considering she was his "mother", but Merlin help her if she felt nothing for him.

Draco had said that it would get easier once he grew older, but it just got worse. That boy was calling her mummy for Salazar's sake and as much as she wanted to assume that role for him, she'd long given up trying to find those motherly feelings.

This whole situation was screwed up and Draco didn't seem bothered by it at all! He treated the boy like he was his own flesh and blood with no feelings of resentment. How she wished she could deal with the predicament with his outlook.

Her head was killing her and her being reminded of her lies again didn't help matters. She looked at the clock. Draco had only been gone fifteen minutes, but she couldn't wait anymore. She made her way over to the cabinet and brought out a bottle of Orgden's finest. She filled her old fashioned tumbler to the brim and downed it. That dulled her headache.

She brought the glass and bottle back over to her chair. She wanted everything to just stop for just a little while. She drank two more glasses which made the room hazy. Figuring one more glass couldn't hurt, she reached for the bottle, but passed into a stupor before she could lift it.

Ten minutes later, Draco walked into the room with the packages of potions and saw his wife passed out in the chair. He was instantly furious. She couldn't wait a half hour without a drink? He dropped the potions on the table and then left. He wasn't going to waste his time waking her up and hearing her excuses.

As he strode down the hallway, he thought of his options. If he let her continue down this road, she was going to drink herself to death. So, that left him with getting her some professional help. He needed to get his wife back. This alcoholic wasn't the woman he married. He missed the way she used to be and he'd be damned if he let her get any worse.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC: Well, that was the first official chapter of BMM. I know as far as action goes, it's a bit on the slow side, but at least their was some DracoHermione interaction. **I think this might be the longest chapter, but I wanted get all of this out of the way.** Plus I think that it shows a nice glimpse into the characters' lives since the incident four years ago.**

**Speaking of the four year time skip, I know that a lot of you didn't want Hermione to miss that many years of her child's life, but I feel that it gives the story a lot more possibilities. I hope it doesn't turn off too many people. **

**I'd like to point out that my beta, toxicjericho****, hasn't gotten to this yet. We've been having communication difficulties, but she's still gonna go over this later and I'll edit it then. **

**So, I'd like to thank all of you for your kind reviews and patience.**

**So, until next time,  
>Snuggle <strong>


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